Roof construction



April 2, 1968 G. CHIEGER 3,3 75,950

ROOF CONSTRUCTION Filed March 15. 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

April 2, 1968 CHlEGER 3,375,950

ROOF CONSTRUCTION Filed March 15. 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

I? akzvl/s LL 14 V a: 7JJ 72 United States Patent 3,375,950 ROOF CONSTRUCTION George Chieger, Birmingham, Mich, assignor to Frnchauf Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Filed Mar. 15, 1966, Ser. No. 534,313 1 Claim. (Cl. 220-15) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLGSURE In combination with a shipping container including a pair of laterally opposed side walls, a pair of end walls, a central roof portion extending between the side walls, an attachment means releasably engageable with associated apparatus for conveying the container, a roof construction comprising a substantially flat roof panel having a central portion extending laterally between the side walls and longitudinally between one of the end walls and the adjacent end of the roof portion, the panel including integral first and second laterally outwardly and downwardly extending edge portions overlying the portions of the upper edges of the side walls of the container adjacent which the associated conveying apparatus is moved preparatory and subsequent to engaging the attachment means, the panel further including a forwardly and down wardly extending portion overlying the upper edge of one of the end walls, whereby to prevent the conveying apparatus from engaging and damaging the upper edge portions of the container in the event the conveying apparatus is inadvertently misaligned with respect to the attachment means, and a roof bow portion formed integrally of the panel and extending laterally between the side walls of the container for reinforcing the roof portion thereof.

This invention relates generally to modular shipping containers and, more particularly, to a new and improved roof construction for such containers.

One of the problems heretofore encountered in the transfer of modular shipping containers between different modes of transportation has been the frequent damaging of the roof portions of such containers when there is a slight misalignment of the spreader or elevating apparatus utilized in conveying the containers between, for example, railway cars, ships, docks and highway vehicles. To minimize such damage, it has heretofore been proposed to place protective plates in the general vicinity of where the spreader guide arms contact the containers; however, the provision of such plates involves extra assembly steps in the construction of the containers, and to some extent adversely affects the external appearance thereof.

The present invention is directed toward a new and improved roof construction for modular shipping containers of the above type that is formed with integral edge portions which, upon assembly of the containers, are arranged adjacent the outboard, forward and rearward sides of the container roofs and are thereby adapted to protect the containers from damage in the event the guide arms of the spreader or elevating apparatus are inadvertently misaligned as they are moved to and from positions adjacent the containers. The roof construction of the present invention is further-provided with an integral roof bow portion and thereby functions to structurally reinforce the containers as well as providing the aforesaid protection against damage by the conveying apparatus.

It is accordingly a general object of the present invention to provide a new and improved roof construction for modular shipping containers and the like.

It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide a new and improved roof construction of the above character which includes edge portions adapted to ice be disposed adjacent the outboard, forward and rearward edge portions of modular shipping container roofs and function to prevent damage to the containers as the spreader apparatus utilized for transferring the containers is moved to and from a position adjacent thereto.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved roof construction of the above character which includes an integral roof bow portion and thereby functions to structurally reinforce the associated shipping containers.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved roof construction of the above character which is of a relatively simple design and is therefore economical to commercially manufacture and easy to assemble.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become aparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an elevated perspective of a typical modular shipping container provided with a roof construction in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of a portion of the structure illustrated in FIGURE 1, as taken substantially along the line 2-2 thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary transverse cross-sectional view of a portion of thestructure illustrated in FIGURE 1, as taken substantially along the line 3-3 thereof;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary top elevational view of a portion of the structure illustrated in FIGURE 1, as taken substantially along the line 4-4 thereof;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of a portion of the structure illustrated in FIGURE 4, as taken substantially along the line 55 thereof; and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary transverse cross-sectional view of a portion of the structure illustrated in FIGURE 4, as taken substantially along the line 6-45 thereof.

Referring now to the drawings, a roof construction It in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, is shown in operative association with a typical modular shipping container 12 of the type used in transporting virtually all types of goods on various modes of transportation such as boats, railroad cars, highway vehicles and the like. As 'best seen in FIGURE 1, the container 12 comprises four corner posts 14, 16, 18 and 2d, which extend vertically at the opposite ends of the container 12. Extending longitudinally between the upper ends of the corner posts 14, 18 and 16, 20 is a pair of extruded aluminum roof rails, one of which is illustrated in FIGURE 3 and generally designated by the numeral 22. In a. similar manner, a pair of longitudinally extending base rails 24 (see FIGURE 1) extend longitudinally between the lower ends of the corner posts 14, 18 and 16, 20. A suitable cross member 26 extends between the lower ends of the corner posts 14 and 16 and is formed with a central recessed portion 28 for receiving the kingpin assembly of an associated truck tractor when the container 12 is transported in the form of truck trailer. A plurality of spaced parallel and vertically extending posts, generally designated by the numeral '30, extend upwardly from the base rails 24 and cross member 26 and are adapted to support a plurality of substantially identical wall panels, generally designated 32, which are preferably fabricated of a lightweight material such as aluminum or the like, and comprise the front end and lateral. sides of the container 12. Suitable closure means in the form of conventional hingedly mounted doors (not shown) comprise the rearward end of the container 12. The lower end or bottom of the container 12 is provided with a suitable reinforced floor means (not shown) and the top of the container 12 is provided with a longitudinally extending central roof member, generally designated 34, which is preferably of a one-piece construction and is rigidly secured at its opposite sides to the roof rails 22, as by suitable bolts, screws, rivets or the like.

The upper and lower ends of the corner posts 14, 16, 18 and 20 are provided with a plurality of rectangular shaped pin-accepting apertures, generally designated 36, which are utilized in securing suitable lifting fittings to the container 12 when the same is being transported, stacked or anchored with respect to an associated mode of transportation. More particularly, the forward and outboard sides of the corner posts 14 and 16 are formed with suitable rectangular shaped pin-accepting apertures 36 at the upper and lower ends thereof, and the rearward and outboard sides of the corner posts 18 and 2 are formed with similar apertures 36. Also, the upper ends of the corner posts 14, 16, 1S and 20 are provided with cover plates, generally designated 38, which are provided with key-shaped openings 46 also adapted to receive lifting fittings utilized in transporting or anchoring the container 12.

As best seen in FIGURE 1, the roof construction of the present invention is in the form of a pair of longitudinally spaced, substantially identical roof panels 42 and 44 that are located at the forward and rearward ends of the container 12. The panels 42, 44 are formed with fiat main portions 46, 48, respectively, that are arranged in substantial coplanar relation with the central roof member 34 and extend between the forward and rearward ends of the member 34 and the forward and rearward ends of the container 12. In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the panels 42 and 44 are constructed of a relatively heavy gauge metal and are formed with integral outwardly and downwardly extending arcuate flange or edge portions 50 which, as best illustrated in FIGURE 3, are adapted to overlie the upper ends of the roof rails 22 and be rigidly secured thereto by suitable bolts, screws, rivets or the like, generally designated 52. The forward edge of the panel 42 is formed with a downwardly and forwardly projecting arcuate end portion 54 that terminates at its lowermost edge in a downwardly extending forward side portion, best illustrated in FIGURE 6 and designated by the numeral 56. The side portion 56 is integrally formed with a rearwardly projecting portion 58 which terminates at its rearmost edge in a downwardly extending flashing section 60. As best seen in FIGURES 2 and 6, the section 60 is disposed directly rearwardly of the posts 30 and panels 32 which form the front side of the container 32, the section 60 being rigidly secured to the members 30, 32 by means of a plurality of suitable bolts, screws, rivets or the like 62. The roof panel 44 is also formed with an outwardly (rearwardly) and downwardly extending flange portion (not shown) which terminates at its lower end adjacent the closure means (doors) located at the rearward end of the container 12.

As best illustrated in FIGURE 6, the roof panels 42 and 44, together with being formed with the aforementioned edge portions 50 and end portions 54, include transversely extending roof bow sections, generally designated 64. More particularly, the rearward end of the panel 42 is formed with a vertically downwardly extending portion 66 which extends transversely between the lateral side walls of the container 12 and terminates at its lower end in a horizontally extending flange portion 68 that is adapted to be rigidly secured to the sealing or upper liner portion 70 of the container 12 by means of suitable screws, bolts, rivets or the like 72. The forward end of the central roof member 34 is formed with an upwardly offset end portion 74 which overlies the upper side of the panel member 42, as best seen in FIGURES 5 and 6, and is adapted to be secured thereto as by Welding or the like. A suitable reinforcing band 76, which is coextensive of the overlapping portions of the members 34 and 42, is welded or similarly secured to the upper side of the forward end of the roof member 34, as also best illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 6. Although not particularly illustrated or described herein, the forward end of the roof panel 44 is preferably formed with a roof bow portion 64 that is substantially identical to the aforedescribed portion and which is adapted to be rigidly secured to the rearward end of the central roof member 34 in the manner hereinabove described. The portions 64 are adapted to function to reinforce or strengthen the roof portion of the container 12 and thereby minimize to the extreme the number of transversely extending structural reinforcing members required in the roof of the container 12.

It will be seen from the above description of the present invention that in the event there is a slight misalignment with respect to the various pin-accepting apertures 36 and 40 of the conveying apparatus utilized in conveying the container 12 between various modes of transportation, the apparatus will engage the edge portions 50 or end portions 5'4 of the roof panels 44 and 46, and thereby prevent the apparatus from possibly damaging the upper edges of the container 12. Accordingly, the roof construction 10 of the present invention provides a partial roof covering or skin at the forward and rearward ends of the container 12 which, as well as providing for reinforcement of the container roof, is adapted to prevent damage to the container 12 during the transport thereof.

While it will be apparent that the exemplary embodiment illustrated herein is well calculated to fulfill the objects above stated, it will be appreciated that roof construction 10 of the present invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change without departing from the proper scope or fair meaning of the subjoined claim.

What is claimed is:

1. In a shipping container or the like including a pair of laterally opposed side walls, a pair of end walls, a central roof portion extending between the side walls, and attachment means releasably engageable with an associated apparatus for conveying the container, the improvement which includes,

a roof construction comprising means defining a substantially flat roof panel having a central portion extending laterally between said side walls and longitudinally between one of the end walls and the adjacent end of the roof portion,

said panel including integral first and second laterally outwardly and downwardly extending edge portions overlying the portions of the upper edges of the side walls adjacent which the associated conveying apparatus is moved preparatory and subsequently to engaging the attachment means, said panel further including a forwardly and downwardly extending roof portion overlying the upper edge of one of said end walls whereby to prevent the conveying apparat-us from engaging and damaging said upper edge portions of the container in the event the conveying apparatus is inadvertently misaligned with respect to said attachment means, and a roof bow portion formed integrally of said panel and extending laterally between the side walls of the container for reinforcing the roof portion thereof.

5/1962 Guralnick 220l.5 4/1963 Tantlinger 220-1.5

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

GEORGE E. LOWRANCE, Examiner. 

